E is for Efe Sagay

Efe is the heroine of my new novel, A Love Rekindled, and her interview is below. Tessa Conte of Tessablurb also did an interview of Efe, and you can find it HERE.

Nigeria Actress - Susan Peters

- How would you describe yourself in three ways? 
Focused, hardworking, a softie at heart.

- You lived out of Nigeria for a while - how did you find it?
I found it very organized. I went to school, I got my first degree and Master's in 5 years, I found it relatively easy to get a job, and I felt comfortable, safe and secure. But I'm glad to be back in Nigeria, closer to my family; I missed them while I was away, because I never returned to Nigeria once during my stay in America. I'm also happy to be working in the entertainment industry, contributing my knowledge and expertise towards its growth.

- It's been said that you're the quiet type. What does it take to get you talking? 
You're right - I'm not a big talker, except when I'm with friends and family, or when the conversation is about interesting topics like music and travel. Current affairs is not really my thing, though.

- We hear that you're an auditing whiz-kid. How did you get to be so good?
I've always been interested in accounting; it's what I studied in UniBen, and I've always been interested in the clues that people leave behind in their financial records. When I travelled to the States to continue my studies, I became even more interested, especially when I took a special course in Forensic Accounting that my school offered. I was lucky to join a whiz team in the Palm Beach Hilton, so I was able to continue feeding my passion and developing my abilities.

- Tell us about your taste in music. Which songs do you really like?
Back in UniBen, I liked soft tunes, R'n'B and easy listening music; I used to follow the UK Top 40, and collected favourites like R Kelly, Mariah Carey, Eternal and Celine Dion. But since I returned to Nigeria, I've been getting into the local popular music scene with D'Banj, Banky W, Asa and Omawumi.

__________

So what do you think of Efe? If you've read the book, do you recognize her? Do you knew a person like her in real life?

D is for Dream Cast

The "Dream Cast" are the people, usually well known, that writers visualize, either as they write or when their book is finished. For me, they're more like the people I could see acting the roles in the book if it ever makes it to the screen. The original idea for a book trailer was to use a variety of actors, and then I came across a picture from the photoshoot done by E4PR, a management company, and it was fixed. They were happy to let me use their pictures, and you'll be seeing more in the course of this month, as I introduce the cast, and my characters individually.

Enjoy the full cast video -

C is for Congrats to the Winners!

As promised, I'm announcing the winners of the Lost and Found BlogFest today April 3. And what do you know, I made a title starting with C too, lol...

The giveaway was to celebrate my 500 followers, and now I have over 550 followers. You're all welcome. The theme for the blogfest was from my new book, A Love Rekindled, which is a love story of college sweethearts. They lost each other along the way and when they found each other again after a decade, love is rekindled. So I asked bloggers to tell me about anything you've ever lost and found, an object, a person, an idea, anything! And they did.

After doing the rounds, these are the winners -

1. Lost and Found Blog Post $25 cash - Trisha @ Word + STUFF. I loved her story, and was impressed that a wallet lost in the USA was found in Ausralia. Please send an email on how to receive your money via paypal.

2. Random from Comments Autographed ALR - Ayokunle Falomo @ Fellow Writer. Please send an email with your postal address to receive the book.

3. Random from People who signed up for the Blogfest another autographed copy - F @ Half and Half. Also send an email with your postal address. Cheers.

4. Sharing the blogfest button on your sidebar wins $10 Amazon giftcard - BBB of Who Am I?? Please send me an email to receive details of your prize.

5. Tweeting about the blogfest wins a free eBook of ALR - Vyvyka @StrategicChic. Send me an email to get your eBook.

6. Five random followers of my blog win free eBooks - PK Hrezo, Teralyn Rose Pilgrim, Nonye Anike @Life and me Unedited, Darbie @Beads and Jeweleries, and Bimbo @Passions, Dreams and Life.

7. A blogger and FB follower also wins eBook - Remi Roy of Royspace followed and left a comment too. Please send an email to receive your prize.

Thanks to everyone that took part. For the winners, my email is myne@ mynewhitman .com

Have a great week, and the A - Z challenge continues.

Is an Engagement Ring Compulsory?

Before we discuss, do check out a couple of reviews I got for A Love Rekindled. Both were good, and different at the same time. For JEFritz of Still Writing, the style I employed in switching from the past to the present was the best part of the book for her, while Tracy at Tracy's Place didn't really care for it. I am pleased at both reviews, and grateful to the bloggers for their support.

Now to today's topic...

... must  a man buy an engagement ring for the lady he wants to ask to marry him?

To be honest, I got a ring, and those few minutes of the proposal will never be forgotten. However, would I have said NO if a ring was not part of the process? I doubt it.

What I am saying is that I personally don't think rings are compulsory for engagement. The man may decide to use a necklace, bracelet, or any other jewelry, he could also go ahead and ask without using anything at all.

What say you?

B is for Blogger gets a Makeover!

Someone asked someday if I would move to another blogging platform as my blog grows bigger. I was insistent that blogger met most of my needs. Seeing this video makes me even surer that I won't be going anywhere, not unless there's no more blogger anyway. What with last years Template Designer upgrade, where I don't have to do anything HTML to get my blog looking the way I want, and the Comments and Stats inclusion as well.

The only thing left now is to overhaul their comment system so I can reply to individual comments, or easily reply via email. I was thinking of installing an outside app like Intense Debate or Disqus, but maybe that won't be necessary. Do watch the video and tell me what you think.



Sarah Gooding in her post at WPMU helpfully lists some of the new features mentioned in the video.

The ability to easily customize templates without any CSS knowledge
Access to real-time stats
Improved spam filtering
Continued stability (The Blogger service has had zero downtime, according to Pingdom)
Inclusion of web fonts
A sleek mobile experience of the platform
Smart content discovery
Integration of the Google Web Toolkit

Virginia Debolt in her post on BlogHer puts up some cool pictures about the coming changes in look and feel. I think a Blogger staff also commented on the post that they're doing something about the comments. Yippee!

To wrap up the post, allow me to show off with blogger. CLICK HERE. You can get the same effect by typing your own blog address in a browser and adding /view.

A is for Apple

... And A is also for April and the A-Z challenge where, throughout April I will bring you 26 blog posts, with each title starting with the relevant letter of the alphabet. I will be posting each day, and will have Sundays off for good behavior. This is a blogfest, and there are more than 700 bloggers who are taking part in the challenge. I have about half of the posts already scheduled, let's see how well I do.

For Today, enjoy the official A Love Rekindled book trailer...

A Love Rekindled Launches with Nollywood Cast Book Trailer!

So we begin the debut of A Love Rekindled with the book trailer which features a Nollywood Cast. Check it out below, and please share. The video was made in collaboration with E4PR, a management company for the stars, who agreed for me to use their pictures. They will also be promoting the video and book launch, and we're all looking forward to A Love Rekindled on the screen.

Book Blurb

Efe finds true love with Kevwe, and promises to marry him. Their dreams unravel when Efe wins an American Visa, and fresh violence erupts between their warring ethnic groups. Efe leaves for the States nursing a broken heart. Now, Efe is back in Nigeria, and sparks fly when they meet again. But renewed desire is no match for bitter memories of heartbreak. Can they overcome the traumatic past and rekindle their love?




The book can currently be bought at the following outlets. I'll be grateful if as many people as possible buy this weekend so as to give it some push, especially on Amazon. The eBook is $2.99 and the book is $11.99.

AMAZON PAPERBACK - A Love Rekindled

AMAZON KINDLE - A Love Rekindled


CREATESPACE - https://www.createspace.com/3499780 Book Launch Discount Code 5% off (5YPZ5L8Y)

SMASHWORDS - http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/48781

B&N NOOK - http://search.barnesandnoble.com/A-Love-Rekindled/Myne-Whitman/e/2940012394538

Thank you all so much!

Book Twitter Party.

To celebrate the release of my second novel, A Love Rekindled, there'll be a virtual party on Twitter on Saturday, April 2, 2011 at 10am Pacific Time, 1pm Eastern Time, and 6pm UK and Nigeria Time. Hostesses are Michelle @BombChellATL, Eva @ EvaAlordia, and @Verastic.

What is a Twitter Party, and how does one take part?

A Twitter Party is a great way to have fun, make new followers, and this time you can win prizes too.
During the A Love Rekindled Twitter Party we will be discussing ways to rekindled love, creative ways to apologise, and how to set your love on fire!
Join the party by searching for the hashtag #torekindlelove and #ALRbook and adding both to your tweets that fit the discussion.
You can also retweet other people's tweets if they are part of the party.

To win prizes, all you have to do is participate! It’s that simple. The party will last for two hours, and my winners will be selected every thirty minutes. I say my winners cos there are others taking part in the party, with their own prices to give away. From me, you could win…

1. An Amazon gift card of $10 from Amazon.com (must live in the US)
2. A discount coupon for 30% to buy ALR from the Createspace eStore.
3. A discount coupon for 20% to buy ALR from the Createspace eStore.
4. A discount coupon for 10% to buy ALR from the Createspace eStore.

Finally ...

The Party will be featuring guest appearances by Nollywood stars under the management of E4PR, so before the A Love Rekindled Twitter Party starts, make sure you are following at least two of the peeps below. They'll be selecting the winners and by following, you ensure you can get a DM notifying you if you win any of the prizes.

Myne @Myne_Whitman

Egor Efiok @E4PR

Chioma Chukwuka @omakpotha

Monalisa Chinda @monalisacode

Susan Peters @realsusanpeters

Desmond Elliot @deselliot

Igoni Archibong @IgoniArchibong



Extra Entries

Tweet about the A Love Rekindled Twitter Party using "Join @Myne_Whitman for the A Love Rekindled Twitter Party April 2 at 1pm EST  #ALRbook

Tweet about the prize you want to win at the A Love Rekindled Twitter Party using "I’m going to win free copies of A Love Rekindled at the Twitter party #ALRbook

Lost and Found BlogFest - Update

A reminder for those taking part in the BlogFest...


"From March 25 - 31, post a blog telling me about anything you've ever lost and found, an object, a person, an idea, anything! The same week, visit two other blogs in the list, read their entries, and leave comments. I will be visiting everybody."

The theme of Lost and Found for the blogfest ties in to the launch of my second book, A Love Rekindled. ALR is a love story of college sweethearts, who lost each other due to circumstances out of their control. When they found each other again after a decade, love is rekindled.

So have you posted your story? Leave a comment here with the link and I'll get to it as soon as I can. I have read some lovely stories, and look forward to more

On April 3, I'll announce all the winners of the blogfest and giveaway!

You can read the stories, and find some great bloggers by checking out some links below. Thanks!

Binyerem Ukonu - The Water was Hot (Guest Author)

Binyerem Ukonu of Ink Upon my Paper is my guest author for today, and he'll be telling us about his debut short story collection, The Water was Hot, in the interview that follows. You have to pick up his book, I provided part of the blurb and it is truly an engaging read.

Tell us about yourself, a brief autobiography.

My name is Binyerem Ukonu. I first became a writer before I was called to learn how to design houses for both family living and office purposes. That is to say that I’m an architect. I am the only son of my parents, although my mum is late. I have five sisters, and all of them are older than I am. So, I have always had anything I’ve always wanted, and also people to fight for me out there, both in prayers and combat (laughs). Now, I am an author of two books – a collection of poems titled Ekwurekwu (a meal of verse), and The Water was Hot, which is a collection of short stories published in Delhi by Serene Woods. I was born in 1982.

When and why did you begin writing?

I’ve always loved poems and the art of writing poetry. I always felt poets drew strength from a deity somewhere. How else could they have written those beautiful lines? I became a poet in 2002, when I lost my mother – Lady Georgy Ukonu. It was when we went into her bedroom to gather her belongings together that I found her chapbook of poetry. This is where she wrote either her poems or poems of other poets. I read from one line to the other, and felt the words taking over my head. That was how I became a poet. Then, I wrote for myself, and never wanted anyone to read my works, for the fear of criticism. A friend of mine, one day, stumbled upon a poem of mine that was carelessly kept. He read it, stole a few lines, and went to win himself a girlfriend with it. I had confidence in my works when I heard that from him. I’ve written a lot of poems, and many of them are online presently. My short stories, too, are gaining audience.

What inspires you to write?

(Laughs). This is one question I’ve always prayed not to encounter, because I’ve always heard or read other authors answer this same question. It’s scary. But I must say this. I’m inspired by chaos. And someone I told this, recently, told me to relocate to Sudan, where chaos is like street lights. But sadness inspires me most times. I am also inspired by the environment and the happy people in it. Most of my friends are becoming careful with me these days. They do not want to play a role in my stories. This makes me laugh. So, you can say that I’m a bit complex.

Discuss one of the stories in your book.

The Water was Hot, the theme story, is about a woman who fights through life with cancer, and gains strength from the love and unity that envelopes her family. A few times, people rumored she was dead, because no one saw her for a long period of time. One thing I most enjoyed while writing this story was how fast I was with it. It felt like I was writing a story that someone had already written before. I felt I was doing the right thing. And I cried most of the time. I felt fulfilled, knowing I had gotten to the end. Today, I read those lines, and they are like reading a story written by someone else. The main character became a person. A voice.